Early deglacial onset of southwestern Greenland ice-sheet retreat on the continental shelf

TitleEarly deglacial onset of southwestern Greenland ice-sheet retreat on the continental shelf
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2015
AuthorsWinsor, K, Carlson, AE, Welke, BM, Reilly, B
JournalQUATERNARY SCIENCE REVIEWS
Volume128
Pagination117-126
Date PublishedNOV 15
Type of ArticleArticle
ISSN0277-3791
KeywordsDavis Strait, Deglaciation, Greenland, Retreat forcings, sea level, Sedimentation rate
Abstract

The Greenland ice sheet (GrIS) advanced onto the continental shelf during the last glacial period. While deglacial records for when the GrIS withdrew onto the modern coastline are relatively abundant, the timing of early GrIS retreat on the shelf is poorly constrained. Here we use planktic foraminiferal delta O-18, sediment grain size, sedimentation rates, and C-14 ages in southeastern Davis Strait core HU87033-008 to develop an early deglaciation chronology of the southwestern GrIS while on the continental shelf. Sedimentation rates, and especially silt and clay fractions, are high between similar to 20.5 and similar to 17.1 ka, suggesting that the southwestern GrIS margin was near or at the shelf break, where it released subglacially derived sediment-laden meltwater. A peak in sedimentation rates of similar to 110 cm ka(-1) between similar to 19.3 ka and similar to 18.6 ka, combined with an initial decrease in planktic delta O-18 of similar to 0.5 per mil, suggests an early deglacial pull back of the GrIS margin from the shelf break with a concurrent increase in surface ocean meltwater discharge. A subsequent planktic delta O-18 decrease of similar to 1.0 per mil combined with a drop in silt and clay sedimentation rates at 18-17 ka likely record further GrIS retreat inland from the shelf break. Terrestrial Be-10 surface exposure ages indicate that the GrIS margin remained on the continental shelf until similar to 11 ka, yet the cause of this subsequent ice-margin stability on the inner shelf is not known. Our new records provide the first evidence that the southwestern GrIS margin may have begun to deglaciate at the same time as other Northern Hemisphere ice sheets. As Labrador Sea water temperatures likely remained near glacial values until similar to 15 ka, we suggest that initial southwestern GrIS retreat was in response to rising global sea level from retreat of other ice sheets and/or the initial deglacial rise in boreal summer insolation. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

DOI10.1016/j.quascirev.2015.10.008